Joel Filios

Nov. 22, 1932 - Mar. 1, 2018 Campbell, CA

Joel Filios passed away on Thursday, March 1st after battling a series of health issues. He was a man of immense kindness who touched hundreds of lives, and loved and cherished his family and friends.

He was born in the Mission District of San Francisco, the youngest of five sisters and brothers born to Greek immigrants. He graduated from Balboa High School and studied at City College and San Francisco State before enlisting in the Navy during the Korean War. He saw combat onboard the USS Porterfield and also served on the USS Prairie. He then had a stint playing baseball for Moffatt Field before his honorable discharge.

Joel was skilled both at math and communication, which gave him an edge getting into San Jose’s burgeoning electronic revolution of the late 50s and early 60s. Joel worked in computer engineering beginning at the famous IBM Cottle Road campus and ending with a video-on-demand start-up before his retirement in 1997.

Joel’s passion for the game of baseball continued his entire life, from coaching his son’s Little League teams to playing Senior Softball. He was also an avid fan of Bay Area sports teams of all sorts.

Attaining sobriety in his 40’s was, according to Joel, the greatest gift he ever received, and the love and fellowship of his AA family were among the most meaningful emotional connections of his life.

Joel wrote, directed and performed in many plays throughout the years. His signature role might have been The Ghost of Christmas Present from “A Christmas Carol.” It was a role to which Joel brought his own love of humanity and liberal sensibility.

Joel loved bridge and his friends with whom he played the game, up to the very end. He also was fond of other card games such as cribbage and hearts, and enjoyed crosswords and board games.

Joel is survived by his children, Christina Claiborn (Christian) and Matthew (Danika), his sister, Pauline Adler, his many beloved nephews and nieces, and an army of devoted friends.

Friends and family are invited to a memorial of Joel’s life on Saturday, March 24 at 1 PM at First Congregational Church of San Jose, 1980 Hamilton Ave. In lieu of Qowers the family requests that a donation be made in Joel’s name to Playworks of Northern California (playworks.org/ northern-california.)